March 3rd 2023.
(Image Source: https://metro.co.uk) The Premier League has been called upon to reconsider the guarantees given concerning the fact that the Saudi owners of Newcastle would not have control of the club. A document presented in a US court recently has raised fresh doubts about the level of division between the Saudi state and the Public Investment Fund, whose governor Yasir Al Rumayyan is Newcastle's chairman. A brief in a lawsuit involving the PGA Tour and LIV Golf characterizes the PIF as "a sovereign instrumentality of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia" and Al Rumayyan as a sitting Saudi minister. The Premier League authorized the PIF-led takeover of Newcastle in 2021 after receiving "legally binding assurances" that the Saudi state would not have control of the club. At the Financial Times Business of Football Summit yesterday, Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters declined to comment on the issue. In November 2021, Masters said that if the league finds evidence that there is state involvement in the operation of the club, "we can remove the consortium as owners". Peter Frankental of Amnesty International stated: "Saudi sportswashing is affecting numerous sports and governing bodies need to respond to it far more effectively. The Premier League will surely need to re-examine the assurances made regarding the non-involvement of the Saudi authorities in the Newcastle deal, not least since there is a Qatari offer for Manchester United on the table."
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
